16599/Better Than Lockheed

Better Than Lockheed
Date of Scene:	17 December 2023
Location:	Last Exit
Synopsis:	Sabretooth is contracted to steal a green kitty-furby-alien. Shenanigans ensue.
Cast of Characters:	Roxanne Spaulding, Douglas Ramsey, Victor Creed, Roy Harper, Inez Temple, Roberto da Costa

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Roxanne Spaulding has posed:
*THUD THUD THUD* That would be the low bass of techno, house, and trap music that fills the Last Exit. It's a crowded Saturday evening with people of all sorts partaking in the rave. Even when it's a rather chilly evening, people are dressed in their clubbing best, which means the women are still freezing due to just how much skin they usually show.

Fortunately for them, there's always the whiskey coat or the body heat from so many bodies dancing and grinding amongst each other.

In the back corner is one of those young women. She's dressed in a black and purple body suit, clinging onto her frame, with a short leather jacket wrapped about her. Chatting with a dark haired fellow, she hrmms for a few moments, reaching into one of her pockets to pull out a twenty.

Handing it to the man, Roxie asks, "So you sure this isn't cut with -anything- at all, right?"

After the man assures her, she takes the tab and stares at the little pill for a few moments. When the man disappears, a green little feline-furby-esque creature skitters from her jacket onto her shoulder with a quizzical, "VRRT!"

"It's molly. No big." she explains before popping the tab and closing her eyes as she leans her head back to just wait for it to take effect.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug was here with a date. It didn't go well.

They just didn't speak the same language.

If you get that joke, you're an X-Men nerd.

He's still here, nursing an Iron Claw, wearing a t-shirt with a graphic of Shakespeare holding a barbell over his head that says 'Dost Thou Even Hoist, Brother' and soaking up the techno vibes of the place. Of course it's all the new stuff, he prefers the stuff from the 80s - just his style. He notices the Molly going around... no. Not when he doesn't have any company. That's a bad idea, with his powers.

Victor Creed has posed:
A natural predator in just about every environment, this is one of those rare environments where Victor Creed does /not/ have an advantage. He did manage to stuff his ears a bit to try to prevent the overwhelming noise from overwhelming his superhuman senses, but even with that, he is at a disadvantage. His head already hurts, and he is without one of his most critical tools.
    But this was an easy job, for easy money, as near as he could imagine. Find the girl, steal her monkey - or whatever the fuck it was - and get out. He assumed there was something special about the alien thing, given the money he was being offered, but he can't spend space monkeys. He could spend millions.
    And so Victor Creed found himself moving among the ravers, keeping tabs on the device his clients had provided that let him zero in on his quarry. Spotting her eventually, he secrets the device away in his trench coat - definitely not the expected attire for this sort of establishment, but then again, anything he did would make him standout - and then makes his way on an arc through the crowd towards the unsuspecting hero.

Roy Harper has posed:
Look, there's one in every crowd.

For the most part Roy Harper is not exactly a killjoy. Furthest thing from really. But everyone has a history, things that have shaped them, that have changed their outlook on certain things.

So while the redheaded archer might be blowing some steam off, as he makes his way through the packed dance floor, the loud, thrumming music and press of bodies not bothering him in the least, he still has his eyes open, taking in the scene. And in particular picking out likely marks.

Because while he might not have any particular issue with what individuals do, while he might be looking for a chance to work off a little of the stress of the daily grind, that doesn't mean that he can't kill two birds with one stone. That he can't find some likely marks that he can have a chat with later. In dark alleys. Where threats of violence might loosen a few lips and help him work his way up the chains of distribution to those that matter.

Then he'll have some more fun, even if it is of a different kind.

That's for later though. Right now at least the redhead just slams his way across the grinding dance floor.

Inez Temple has posed:
Dressed more for a honky-tonk or Coachella, Inez stands out like a sore thumb with her scuffed up cowboy boots complete with silver spurs leading up to barely there denim shorts more fringe and pocket than denim, and a Jack Daniels tee turned tank top cut halfway to her belly button and the rest of her flesh coated in body glitter. She's got the hat, even, and a scarf tied around her neck.

Does the bouncer card her? Absolutely. Gives her his phone number too, which is met with a click of her tongue on teeth, a pat on the cheek, and a finger-gun over her shoulder. Means he doesn't see the lasso attached to the back of her jeans, hidden by a plaid shirt tied artfully to reveal the 'YEE HAW' belt buckle.

To the bar she heads, leaving a trail of onlookers that just go silent when the bartender delivers a shot of tequila that she no-sells with a tip of her hat and a wink. She sits on a bar stool, and turns to look out over the floor like a cowgirl looking out over her herd.

Yee haw.

Roxanne Spaulding has posed:
The Molly is a special kind. Normally it takes 20-30 minutes before that tingly feeling, that euphoric rush starts to work. But this one, specifically targets those who are Gen-Active or those with the X-Gene. Yes, it's a designer drug specifically for mutants and genactives. Thank Mutanttown for the innovation.

So when she starts to feel that initial giddy rush, Roxie is already making her way to the dance floor. This time, the feline-esque creature has hidden itself in her jacket once more, keeping warm against her bosom, as she sashays her way through the crowd.

Her gaze flits about, looking for someone cute enough and that doesn't remind her of Eddie Chang. Anyone who isn't short, stocky, and muscular will do.

Of those in the crowd, the finalists are...

The dangerous looking man in the trenchcoat. Naw, he looks far too old, and while she likes her daddies, he looks like he'd be a mean one.

Then, there's the slammy redhead. Cute. Check. Muscular. Check. Looks like he might have issues, check.

And finally, there's the blonde in the graphic tee. Adorkable. Check. Probably a nerd and not her type (usually). Check. That means he's safe, and so she wanders on over towards him with a bright smile, reaching for his hands to tug him towards the dance floor.

"Dance with me!" she chirps.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug looks up - normally he would've noticed being approached but tonight he wasn't looking. He stands there momentarily baffled, holding his white claw, and when Roxanne grabs him he says, simply, "Yeep?"

Then he's out on the floor. He can tell at a glance she's on Ecstasy, many of the people here are; he slams the rest of his can of hard seltzer and passes it off to somebody and then...

Well, when Roxanne picked out the safe nerd, she found a phenomenal dancer. He's been trained, by SOMEBODY (that somebody being Stevie Hunter, arguably the best dance instructor in the world - Editor). He's also got an innate sense of move and response, knowing where and how to move in response to how she moves. "...Hi!" He says, finally, his arms over his head. And then... he looks up in the crowd and sees... someone who makes his face go ashen pale. "Uh." He says, to Roxanne, "We should go. Right now. Actually where's the fire alarm..."

Victor Creed has posed:
    With his handy target detection device no longer necessary, Victor eyes the progress of his quarry from her post to the side, and onto the dance floor. This may be easier than he even though, as he starts to make his way towards her to intercept her. Of course, as he is coming up towards her with every intention of doing so without making a scene, he notes the look of panic on the face of Douglas. Not unjustified, and it gives Victor a certain sense of satisfaction.
    He takes a quick moment to look around to scan the crowd for signs of any of Douglas' friends, which would be a real complication, before he takes advantage of the drug induced haze that gives Roxanne enough pause before that warning is taken seriously.
    Sidling up behind the girl as if he were just another interested admirer, Victor places a hand at her hip as he looms behind her, looking down at Douglas with a broad, toothy, fanged smile. "Just here to have a little fun," he says, his tongue running over one fang. "No trouble unless you want to start some."

Roy Harper has posed:
Issues? Does Roy have issues?

Probably. More then a few in all likelihood. If Roy is entirely honest. But he is in a much better place these days, all things considered. Which doesn't mean he won't still make all sorts of bad decisions, mind you.

They're just less likely to be of the kind that he will deeply regret.

While he generally prefers to have his backpack of weaponry with him wherever he goes -- even when at least partially relaxing in a setting such as this -- that's not really practical in this particular club. The bouncers keeping an eye on people might not exactly be the best and the brightest in security but they might get a little suspicious about that.

So instead he'll just have to make do with the long trenchcoat he wears over the otherwise tight clubbing apparel.

The dance floor offers any number of distractions, and a grin seems to be perpetually curved across his face, moving from partner to partner, the ebb and flow of the crowd making it easy to circulate. And circulating means he can keep an eye on the most likely targets in the crowd, at it's fringes.

The drug peddlers. And while he might not be interested in the small fish, at least not tonight, they're his way up the ladder.

But they aren't the only individuals of interest in the club and while most of the leeches cling to the sidelines, that look of panic on Doug's face draws the redhead's attention back to the crowds on the dance floor, eyes narrowing just a little.

Inez Temple has posed:
Being a *real* cowgirl and not just some dumb Yankee pretending, the pride of Harlingen, Texas has a definite southern drawl and a certain twang when she speaks that goes well with her spurred boots, Stetson, and big ol' blinged up belt buckle. After getting enough shots bought for her that even her enhanced physique has a mellow warmth inside that lifted-and-separated chest, Inez hits the dance floor.

Now a New Yorker might be outta place at the sort of honky tonks Inez came of age in, but she's a good ol' girl, and knows how to adapt. And so despite looking like a CMA Video Hoe, she's blending into the writhing mass of flesh and vice even despite spurs... Which are most definitely not practical for a dance floor, no matter how devoted you are to an aesthetic or gimmick.

She's laughing, spun by a zealous partner, when she seems to spot Douglas and the disturbance in the Force... if the force were people high as fuck on questionable substances. She excuses herself, making her way over discreetly. Stopping by Roy (because who wouldn't? Woof.) she speaks up. "Reckon' we got us a poacher?" She murmurs loud enough for Roy to hear but not to cause any more of a scene. "The lil'un looks ready t' stampede." Despite the humor and the twang, her tone's faintly serious.

Roxanne Spaulding has posed:
Completely oblivious to how dangerous the daddy in the trenchcoat is, Roxie completely misinterprets things with Douglas. There are drugs that make slightly pale, right? Blood would be rushing elsewhere and all that.

But considering she's rather enjoying the back and forth between the dance, her eyes widen as Darude's SANDSTORM comes on. That thudding synth and then that iconic bass starts to thrum through the club itself.

"ZOMG." Yes, she says ZOH-MAI-GAH. "I LOOOOOOOOOOVE THIS SONG!" There's another giddy giggle, as it seems that the ecstacy has definitely taken full effect. "After this song, okay?!?" she says, whining just a bit as she continues to tug Douglas for a few moments.

"Last song, then we can go to your place? I mean, you're not my usual type, but..." There's a first time for everything, right?

Of course, as she gets high, there might be something that getsin the way of the most detailed of plans. Gravity itself starts to lessen in a ten foot radius around her. It's not enough to make anyone really float, but it most certainly makes it to where hairs are standing up and doing that floaty in space kind of thing.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug tries to suppress the shaking in his knees. He mostly succeeds, as he tries desperately to think of a way out that doesn't get himself or other people killed.

He keeps dancing with Roxanne, so as not to cause a panic. "...What do you want, Creed?" He says, finally. "Can't you see people here are having a good time?"

Come on, come on, think of something - then he notices that the hairs on his arms are standing up and there's a distinctly lessened impact of his feet on the ground. Okay, let's try this! He grabs Roxanne, and uses that lightness to whirl away with her, before he leans in to whisper a sweet nothing in her ear. "That man is *Sabretooth*. He's a *maniac*. We need to get out of this club now. You, me, everyone." He pauses, and then says, "...Sorry to ruin your good time. He's insanely violent, and anything could set him off. Because he's *looking* for things to set him off. Nod once if you understand, please."

Victor Creed has posed:
"Same thing you do, squirt. Have a good time." Victor shrugs a bit as if that is the most natural thing in the world.

With his hand on Roxanne's hip, he starts to check out the girl, and it is only as he feels the tail of his trenchcoat start to rise, along with the considerable amount of hair behind his head, that Victor gets hit by a moment of confusion. How else could one explain freakin /Cypher/ managing to pull a cute girl out of his grasp?

But Douglas's attempt to whirl away with her only goes so far, as Victor's hand reaches out quickly, catching her after one revolution. His hand wraps easily against her hip as he pulls her back, gently enough to appear just to be a rival dancer, as he steps up towards her.
    "I appreciate the kind words, kid," he says towards Douglas, his fangs coming out to gleam in the light above the back of Roxanne's head, as his other arm slips around her waist. "But I think she's looking for a better dancer than you." And, in fact, it does appear that Victor has rhythm, after all, as he dances closely with Roxanne pressed against him.

Roy Harper has posed:
On all fairness, a person's idea of a good time can vary quite considerably from individual to individual. Wherever he can be Roy Harper Jr. is pretty much a live and let live sort of guy. To each their own, right?

But sometimes people's notion of fun can be very bad for those around them and while appearances can certainly be deceiving sometimes -- as the redhead well knows -- the little discreet confrontation only a few feet away looks like the sort of thing that could easily be the kind that could end up detrimental to someone's health.

Hopefully not his mind you, but you roll the dice and take your chances sometimes.

Edging through the crowd, Roy tries to get close enough to hear exactly what is going on, or at least get a better sense of things. He doesn't want to jump in and get involved over some sort of semi-polite misunderstanding or anything. But that look of panic on the man's face certainly suggests that it is a little more serious then that.

As he nears, as he feels the hairs on his arm actually stand on end Roy's brow furrows, hands darting into the pockets of that long black trenchcoat, that little bump of trouble racheting right up to ten. Something definitely doesn't feel right about this entire thing.

Inez Temple has posed:
Oh hooooold on now...

The cowgirl in the daisy dukes and hat scowls when Victor grabs Roxanne so roughly, and steps forward, past Roy and everyone else. "Think t' lady's gotta date." Inez tells Creed, tilting her hat back with one knuckle as she glares at him, shaking her head. "Why don't y' turn 'round an' find someone else t' bother, big guy?" She turns to Douglas, half a back to Victor and frowning at the younger blonde. "Y' ok?"

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto Da Costa comes in the door with a model on his arm, they are dressed to impress and Berto gives the doorman a nod and bill as the slip past the line and head for a booth. He also motions to the bartender, he doesn't need to say what he's drinking just motion to the table and the glass of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne is in his hand before he hits the table, also in his dates.

    Berto is a big deal in circles like this and through it all he has not ceased in his dissection of "Back to the Future - The Muscial", "I understand the need for a chorus, I really do. It's a musical staple but I'm just not sure that was the way to go about it and Marty had a great voice but the Lea Thompson character suffered from the transition- " He pauses at the sight of familiar faces and steps closer still sipping his champagne. "Doug, what have you gotten yourself into?" He nods to Inez and Creed and smiles to Roxie, "Hello, I'm Roberto DaCosta are yiou Doug's date?" I mean crises are a dime a dozen but Ramsey on a date is priceless

Roxanne Spaulding has posed:
When she starts getting manhandled first by Douglas, her eyes widen as she seems impressed. Of course, she's oblivious to her own powers subconsciously making her weigh very little. "Mmm, where's those muscles?" she asks, now intrigued as she peers over the blonde a bit more.

It's then that she's passed around like a blunt as after one twirl, she gets grabbed and into Sabretooth's clawlike grasp. Her eyes widen as she looks up towards the older man and just giggles once more, "Oh, hi zaddy."

While she may unaware of that predatory nature of the mutant in front of her, it seems the little queelocke is a bit more aware than its caretaker. Anyone looking would notice that there's a bulge starting to move along the back of her jacket, as if it's trying to keep out of any potential clawlike grasps from the obvious predator.

But as the pair starts to dance, she grins toothily when a song more than likely after Douglas' and Roberto's heart starts to play in the rave.

"~Taaaaaaake ooooonnnnnnnnnn me! (Take on me!) Taaaaaaaaaaake meeeeeeeeeeee on! (Take on me!)~"

And as she continues to spin about, she looks towards the Brazilian with furrowed brows. "I didn't think so? I'm a free agent, baby..." she quips cheekily with a flash of her pearly whites.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Hmmmnh, damn. No good. Should've known that would prickle his chase instinct.

Oh, good. Beto's here. Wait. Is that good? Or is it just another in a series of insane complications that're going to end with this place burning to the ground.

"Yes, Beto." Doug says, sarcasm dripping from his voice, "I'm in love with Sabretooth. You found out my big secret, I have a thing for gigantic, hairy cannibals." He's not sure if Creed actually IS a cannibal or not, but the list of stuff this guy's done is pretty extensive, so it might be in there somewhere. "...She's flying. Almost literally." He says, "She took some of that Mutant Molly and now she doesn't give a damn about *anything* and I... well I was kind of enjoying dancing with her." He shrugs his shoulders. "More important things to worry about. He wants *something*, otherwise this place would already be a disaster area."

Victor Creed has posed:
    "See, she's a free agent, and she made her choice, runt," replies Victor, as he grins as Douglas. "So go run home and put on your underoos and turn on one of those holo-women."
    As Victor continues to dance behind Roxanne, he seems to grow a bit more familiar with her in the process. At least his hands do. While he lets Douglas, Roberto, Roy, and Inez all argue about Roxanne's choices, his arm tightens a bit around her waist as he holds her body next to his, swaying in time to the music. Trying not to pay attention to the way his hair, his coat, and, uh, everything else is starting to stand up.
    He leans down, his eyes still on Douglas, as he brings his lips towards the side of Roxanne's neck. Douglas would see the fangs that he knew were there, but from behind, unlikely that Roxanne does. He inhales deeply at the side of her neck, almost nuzzling his nose against her hair, before letting out his tongue to run it against the side of her skin. His eyes twitch for a moment as if in recognition of something, and then he laughs. "Guess someone had a happy fucking birthday," he says.
    And that's when his free hand darts up and around Roxanne's chest, slipping inside of her top in what would appear to be a /very/ familiar gesture.

Inez Temple has posed:
"Aw, shit. T' gal's on *drugs*?" Inez looks slightly disturbed for a moment, overhearing Doug talking about 'mutant molly' and 'gigantic, hairy cannibals'. "So that's Sabretooth. Reckoned it were."

The denim-clad cowgirl grimaces at Doug and Berto, taking her hat off and putting it back on in a nervous gesture. "I work f' Summers, the dilfy one with the big guns, an' that bull is *trouble*. We need t' get her away f' that bastard 'fer he ets her up." Or worse.

Like try to grope a woman that can't consent. Shouldering people aside and using her superior height, Inez calls out, "Hands off t' filly!" And out from beneath the jacket around her waist comes a freakin' lasso, which like some sort of stripper version of Wonder Woman she begins to spin overhead before tossing it at Creed to catch him around the neck. "Heeeeeiyah!" She crows, and then gives it a tug hard enough to hopefully knock him off balance and pull him towards her.

What's a night out at a drug-fueled dance hall without some rope play, after all?

Roy Harper has posed:
Yup. Things definitely look like they're starting to escalate.

While there does not seem to be any shortage of those willing to get involved, Roy Harper is not just about to go on his merry way. At least not quite yet at any rate. It's still not exactly clear what's going on -- at least to an outsider who isn't quite as familiar with the ins and outs of mutant factionalism like himself -- and so he simply lingers close.

Which is getting a little more difficult to do. Even a crowd like this is beginning to pick up on the sense that trouble is definitely in danger of starting and something of a circle is opening up around the group. A wise decision to be sure, but it makes it a little tougher for the redhead to linger close, but not so close as to draw attention to himself.

They are also beginning to attract the attention of the club's bouncers, and a pair of the large, imposing men have started to try and push their way through the crowd. And while they might be formidable enough to deal with the run of the mill problems, this might be something a little beyond them.

So Roy edges a little closer, fingers the weapons in the jacket pockets of that trenchcoat and hopes for the best.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto Da Costa stands and watches Doug for a few beats, sipping his champagne, then narrows his eyes, "... You assumed I meant Victor? I mean she got it but- You know what nevermind. Mutant Molly?" (Yes, there is a box that now needs to be checked in his bucket list) "He shakes his head, "Focus, I mean he isn't really a cannibal, that's more a story to scare the rubes... I think. Anyway, neither of you are really his type. You're both a bit too... breakable for him to have any real fun. I mean, sorry to make assumptions Miss. You don't seem the bruiser/Tank type?" He turns to Inez with a curious glance, "Does she look like bruiser/tanky type? It's so hard to tell, the whole Molly Hayes thing and of course Diana." Roberto stops as he catches the move Victor is laying down, "Hunh, I almost see what Raven sees in him. That is a lot but it still doesn't-" Sabretooth makes the boob grab and causing Berto to 'oh'

    Berto turns to Doug, "He doesn't want what we think he wants." What exactly he's after, danged if Berto knows but pieces are falling into place or starting to.

    Then there's a lasso and the mention of Cable, "Cable? Again the cannibal thing has been overblown. He's a resource, there's a purpose. That tracks, he has amazing taste in women." Back to Doug, "I like her, she seems fun, much less breakable."

    Berto turns to face Vic, 'Okay, one he gave up the holographic waifu and he is doing much better coming out in public, this is a big night and we are all very proud. And underoos are cool, Mystique- Wait, she's a free agent; are you?"

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug makes a put-upon face. The Charlie Brown face. Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. He mutters, "You're lucky you're adorable or I swear I'd chase you with a fire extinguisher-" He glances back at Sabretooth and then watches him get pawy - "...You're disgusting, Creed. But I'm sure you know that."

He turns and heads to the bar, ostensibly to get a drink. "Yeah." He says, "Give me a triple of everclear." He takes the drink, and then asides to the Bartender, "Say. You got a *lighter*?" One gets slid over to him, and he tips a nod. "Thanks!" Then he slips it in his pocket and comes back over to the little party with his untouched drink. "So what'd I *miss*."

Roxanne Spaulding has posed:
"!!!!!!" Her eyes widen as she feels that sudden claw like hand upon her chest, but for those close enough to hear, a high pitched "QUEE!" seems to come from her jacket itself.

Boobs don't squeak. Or is this the girl's ability?

Still, there's nothing like the sound of a seemingly helpless dimension hopping furby to immediately cause Roxie to get her wits about herself. She freezes and doesn't dare move, swallowing nervously instead as she mutters, "Please. Don't hurt him."

What the heck is she talking about?

"He hasn't done anything. He's not dangerous." And that's when she looks towards Berto and Doug, biting on her lower lip. Now that Ramsay has gone off to the bar, she remains still, and whatever caused the hairs to stand on end starts to change. People will definitely feel a bit more sluggish as she begins ramping up the g forces in that same area. 0.5 G. 0.8 G. 1.0 G. 1.3 G...

Victor Creed has posed:
As Victor gets a bit fresh with Roxanne, he laughs a bit. "No, that ain't it," he mutters for a moment. He barks a laugh as his eyes drift down Roxanne's top, wholly unaware that a lasso is aimed at him.
    The yank of that rope fortunately comes just before gravity starts to melt down, and Victor flies away from his former dancer partner, aimed directly at Inez. He snarls angrily and twists in mid-air, using one slash of taloned claws against Roxanne's waist to right himself so that he collides with Inez with the force of his shoulder, sending the blondes tumbling to the ground in a pile.

    He wastes little time, claws slashing at the cowgirl as he tries to hurl her away from him. The lasso? He can worry about that later.

Inez Temple has posed:
Inez is more than just a great pair of legs. She's a *scrappy* great pair of legs, and those legs end in spurs. She lets out an oath that would peel paint as she finds herself tanking an irate Sabretooth, and to her credit or perhaps because of Roxanne's gravity shit, she tanks the big guy hitting her with a cry of pain as claws dig into her, legs wrapping around him with spurs clawing at flesh as she uses skills bred into her by the Lonestar State and her daddy's ranch.

Perhaps it's the leverage he's able to get because of the shimmering body oil that's making her skin glisten, perhaps it's the claws that so cruelly pierce her tanned skin, but Victor is able to hook Inez by the hips and body her off him, sending her flying ass over appetite towards the front door.

She manages to retain her hat, but otherwise? Yee haw! She's outta here, folks.

Roy Harper has posed:
Yup, things can definitely get worse.

The parting of the crowd was certainly timely, the sheer press of bodies melting away from the burgeoning confrontation, opening up that little circle around the scene of the fight.

With the music, the dancing -- and of course the sheer number of people who are probably high right now -- not everyone notices the fight of course, and many pay little attention to the jostling as they continue to jump and grind, oblivious to it all.

But for those closer, those who might not notice Creed's claws, a loud whoop goes up and the chants for the fight to start rise up in time with the loud pulse of the music all around them. And while they might open up that circle, they don't seem inclined to get out of there, don't realize just how dangerous it all could be.

For his part, the redheaded archer has a much better idea of just how dangerous it can be and as the confrontation between Inez and Creed gets far more physical, his willingness to stand aside dies away. While he might favor the bow, that's not entirely practical in this situation and instead when those hands emerge from the pockets of his trenchcoat, a pair of fold-out crossbows are gripped there, the arms snapping out and locking into place, the bolts already nocked.

He lifts his hands and fires, all in one smooth, practiced motion and the pair of bolts fly towards Creed's back, a sudden blue crackle enveloping the heads of them, electricity arcing between them as the taser bolts fly towards his chosen target.

Too bad he doesn't know as much about his target as would be nice.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto Da Costa frowns and flashes to vanta black, as the the world gets heavier, it's hard to see in the shifting light of the club but to the group at hand it's an obvious transition and obvious marker of some sort of powered individual. He does make more effort but he can fight off the effect of the increasing gravity. "Doug, what's going on? This is weird." It's immediately obvious that thermals won't carry him aloft.

    Roberto steps into the space Victor's attack made between Victor and Roxy. He stands tall and his voice is firm, anyone with knowledge of such things would see that he is channeling Dani's training on talking with wild animals, "Victor, this is enough. There is not profit in continuing this fight." He keeps a hand towards Victor and and his body between Victor and Roxy. Then there's he bolts and the arcing and Berto says on word, summarizing the whole situation, "Fuck."

Roxanne Spaulding has posed:
"ARGH!" Isn't that the sound people make in comics when they get hurt. Roxie falls forward, and she immediately cancels the effect of the strengthened gravity. It would be bad to faceplant onto the dance floor with increased g-force.

Still, the claws are sharp enough to slice through her leather jacket. If it wasn't for the bodysuit underneath, there could have been more than a nasty scratch, leaving a slight trail of blood down her back. She winces at the stinging sensation as she stumbles forward and ends up on her knees.

Looking back towards Berto and Victor, she calls out, "Don't let him hurt, Queelocke! He's endangered! And if he gets too scared he might send us all into another dimension."

So that's why the Damocles Foundation wanted the little green cat-furby-alien thing.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
The intense wave of gravity actually forces Doug, who isn't super strong, down onto his knees. He barely manages spilling the glass of liquid, and it sloshes over his fingers as he hangs onto it. That's when it all clicks into place. "Creed, whatever you're being paid, it's not worth it. You KNOW that this is going to backfire on you in the end."

Then the crushing press ends as abruptly as it began, and Doug almost falls over. He's left to struggle back to his feet. "Nnf. Reason. The last recourse of the desperate."

Victor Creed has posed:
Watching the Roberto with suspicion as he rises up, Victor grunts a bit, reaching down to his midsection where blood is seeping out from the wound that Inez's spurs made. "I wasn't here for profit, I was just here for some fun, like I told pipsqueak over there." He points at Douglas and shakes his head.
    "But this ain't fun no more. Y'all manage to such the joy out of everything." He waves a hand dismissively as he turns to walk away from the two mutants, his eyes ranging towards the door.
    And thats when the two bolts smack into his back, triggering enough of an electrical charge to drop a man of his size. He cries out in pain and falls to his knees as his body convulses.

    Unfortunately, it would take more than an electrical charge set to drop a man of his zie to drop Victor Creed. A lot more. He reaches back towards his back angrily to swat the bolts out, ending the pain of the electricity.

    For a moment he just kneels there, as the after effects of the current dissipate.

    Berto and Douglas are probably close enough to hear the guttaral growl that starts to come out. It would be their only warning before he leaps up to his feet, unleashing an animalistic snarl as spittle flies from his mouth.

    Victor Creed may have eaten a taser to the back.

    But the Sabretooth is who rose up to seek retribution.

Roy Harper has posed:
Generally speaking when Arsenal puts an arrow -- or bolt, or knife, or any of the myriad of other weapons in his, ahem, arsenal -- in someone, they generally stay down.

So it is more then a little surprising that after sticking two of those taser bolts right into Victor's back, that figure starts to rise up once more, seemingly undaunted. That could be something of a problem, right?

While he might have been anticipating that he would be putting a swift end to things with his strike, Roy has dealt with more then enough heavyweights in the past that he wasn't exactly counting on it. He's learned by now to never put all his eggs in one basket and he is already fitting another pair of bolts into those fold-out hand crossbows.

"So much for Plan A then, huh? Guess it's time to move onto Plan B."

Hopefully he has a whole alphabet's worth of plans to go through if that snarl is anything to go by.

If nothing else, at least Roxy's shout gives him some reassurance that this all isn't just some typical Saturday night clubbing misunderstanding.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto Da Costa stands his ground he is after all a big damn hero, but Sabretooth is a legend burgeoning on a nightmare in mutant circles. There is a visible gulp as Berto's attention shifts to the crowd, the innocents, those who will take the most harm if this goes pear shaped. That's when his head kicks into gear and he raises his hands, firing two blasts in quick succession.

    The First aimed at the DJ booth, but not the DJ as he fries the sound system causing it warp and then die out to relative silence, he crowd mutters and looks about bewildered as the spell of the music dies, and the second blast, concentrated heat triggers to fire alarm and the sprinklers. There's an audible sppssh as the water starts to spray, "If you can dial up the Gees again, do it, do it now."

Roxanne Spaulding has posed:
And that's when there's lots of water. Oh so much water as the sprinkler system starts to turn on. Fortunately, there's also a safety that shuts down electricity as to not cause a fire in the club.

Wincing for a few moments as blood trickles down her back, Roxie stumbles forward and her eyes widen with shock (no pun intended)as more water spreads out. "If there's an electrical short, we'll -ALL- be fried!" she cries out, definitely knowing she isn't resilient enough to also hundreds of volts through her petite body.

"But it'll take some time to ramp..." she admits, focusing with a bit of a nose scrunch as slowly the gforces slowly rise. Perhaps it's too slow to really make a difference for someone as super strong as Victor, but who knows? If it slows him down and keeps him from eviscerating people, then consider it a win.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Fortunately that sprinkler system has one other effect - it makes people bolt for the exits in a hurry. As the water begins to rain down on him, Doug grimaces and then tosses back the drink - and he swallows it. Because he's going to need all the courage he can handle. "We don't have the firepower to put him down." Is all he says. But then he glances up at the lighting system. "But uh-" He starts to back away, and gestures to the lights. "If you can pin him for long enough, we might have a chance to make a run for it."

"It'll have to be a damn fast getaway though, he's a world-class tracker... and I can't fly." Doug stares death in the face... and decides death smells kind of like wet dog.

Victor Creed has posed:
There is a lot of snarling coming from Victor Creed, and his eyes orient towards Roy with an animalistic hatred in them.

But then comes the water from above, and as if it were dousing a literal fire, it seems to drop considerably Victor's interest in maintaining the fight. He grunts in the direction of Roy and then turns to lope in the direction of the exit, alternating between propeling himself by his hands and his legs in some sort of half-human, half-animal gait.

After all, cats hate water.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto Da Costa blinks, once twice and then he laughs, it's a solid deep chuckle, one born or relief and the knowledge that they all aren't going to die. There is not bluster, no attempt to follow, for one he knows where to find Sabretooth and two he isn't stupid enough to push his luck.

    Berto takes a breath and looks around, he goes over to inspect Roxie's wound (if allowed), and make sure she is okay. "How hurt are you miss? You're lucky I've seen blow like that take people out." He looks over at Doug, "How you doing Blondie?" He grins, and then looks about for his own date, "Hmmph, typical."

Roy Harper has posed:
One thing that Roy doesn't lack for is confidence.

Like, he can have almost suicidal levels of confidence really. But when the hairs on his arms stand on end again it isn't that shift in gravity that seems to radiate from Roxanne. No, it is definitely that snart coming from Creed that is responsible.

Not that he lets any of those nerves show, let alone actually effect him. Even as the surprisingly resilient figure stands, even as the fire alarms and sprinklers start to go off starting a torrential downpour in the club itself. He's already fumbling for more bolts, different tactics. Bola bolts maybe? Net bolts? One of his cryo projectiles to turn that falling water into a sheet of ice beneath the feral man?

Listening to the discussion nearby -- at least until the alarms make it almost impossible to hear anything else, the growing panic of the crowd as they start to evacuate only adding to the din -- makes him think that delay and distract is his best option.

And loathe as he might be, it looks and sounds like keeping the man's attention on himself is waaay better then letting him run rampant through the crowd. So gritting his teeth, the redheaded archer resolves himself, bringing those fold-up crossbows up again.

And then, a respite. The downpour seems to convince the threat that he is best served to be elsewhere. He doesn't hear that sigh of relief that slips from him.

It also feels like a good cue to make himself scarce. So as Creed turns to leave, Roy casts one look to the trio that remains before starting to melt back into the crowd himself.

If he's lucky, he can still pick out the dealer that helped start all of this. Then again, he's wet and cold. Maybe it's just time to call it a night.

Roxanne Spaulding has posed:
Her body suit is ripped from the back. Her bareskin is exposed, and that nasty scratch is going to leave a mark for a bit. She shudders as the cool sprinkler water splashes onto her back and she looks towards Beto as he heads on over to check on her.

"I might need some good antibiotic. Water on open wounds is never good." Roxie says matter of factly, before she looks around and she catches sight of the redhead with the arrow. Seemingly impressed, she bows her head in his direction, appreciating the deescalation. "Thanks for the help, Arrow Boy." Cause she doesn't know his codename, and well most superheroes are Something Boy/Girl, right?

"I need to get Queelocke back though. If the Damocles Foundation gets a hold of him, it will be bad." Considering she has seen Beto's powers, she figures he's a superhero. "Queelocke is the last of his species. Apparently, he can open portals to different dimensions. Manipulate space itself. He's poofed me out of bad situations before, but it took time." she admits with a frown. "So will you help me get him back?"

The question isn't just directed towards the Brazilian. She looks to Roy and then to Douglas, the other two remaining on scene.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"Well, I'm soaked. I'm in the middle of New York. And I don't have a change of clothes. Beto, I might need to stay at your place and use your dryer." Doug says, dripping.

"But I just got out of having to figure out how to tangle with an angry Sabretooth and *not* die." He brushes his hair back out of his face, and spits out some water. "Pwuh. I'm gonna catch a cold."

"She bugged out at the first threat to the integrity of her hairdo, Beto. Sorry."

He exhales, and then mutters, "If Creed hasn't been outright hired to sell him, then he's probably got some inkling of his value, and he'll look for a buyer..."

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto Da Costa waves a hand over Roxy's head, as if searching for a question mark, "I don't see one do you? It feels like a side quest." He looks over at Doug with a small grin, and a chuckles, then he casually places his hand on each of their shoulders and warmth washes over them, perhaps not enough to dry their clothes, but enough to drive away he chill. "Of course, we will help. Arrow boy too I imagine. I have some resources I can bring to bear on tracking down Creed." Berto snappoints at Doug and gives him that winning grin, "If only we had one." He smiles, "I can get us a car, X-Corporation has a medical facility and then you can both crash at my place if you need to."

Roy Harper has posed:
While Roy might be ready to beat a hasty retreat and either find somewhere dry to warm up, or ruin the night of some of the local drug dealers, he does linger long enough within earshot to catch Roxy outline the stakes or her current predictament and the fact that while Creed might have absented himself, he didn't necessarily get away without taking something of value first.

Maybe he's a sucker for a pretty face -- seems like a good likelihood there -- or maybe he feels a little bad that he wasn't a whole lot of use in bringing down the scary Victor Creed, but Roy pauses for a moment before a hand digs into his trenchcoat once more, emerging with a fold-up phone. Tossing it her way, the redhead holds up a hand, thumb and little finger extended and waggles it by his ear in the 'call me' sign.

Not everyone gets a Batsignal. But an encrypted burner phone is not a bad substitute. "You need a hand you can reach me on that," he offers.

And then he too turns and vanishes in amongst the crowd.

Roxanne Spaulding has posed:
The burner phone gently floats and then makes lateral movements to her hand. Her dry hand.

Roxie can't help but grin at the redhead asshe nods, mouthing, 'will call you'. And then when the group slips out, she bows her head to Roberto and Douglas and gives a proper thank you.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto Da Costa makes a call and three black SUVs arrive in short order. The small group slips into one and are whisked away into the night